As water scarcity and environmental challenges escalate, manufacturers are turning to circular economy strategies to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience. Practices like water recycling, innovative wastewater treatment technologies, community watershed programs and rainwater harvesting are gaining traction as effective solutions. Recognizing this transformation, Frost & Sullivan hosted a Growth Webinar titled ‘Best Practices in Global Manufacturing: Cultivating a Sustainable Water Future through Circularity.’
The session highlighted best practices and growth strategies to reduce water-related costs, embed water sustainability into manufacturing, and drive continuous innovation through strategic partnerships.
Featured panellists:
- Vivekananda Bhat, Growth Expert and Associate Director at Frost & Sullivan
- Mahesh Kumar Sharma, HSE Lead, Electrification Business – Smart Power Division at ABB India Ltd.
- Subrat Mitra, Assistant Vice President – Sustainability at Genpact India Pvt Ltd.
Note: Gain valuable perspectives from these industry experts by clicking here to access the recorded session of the webinar.
Key takeaways from the discussion:
- Embedding Circular Water Strategies Across Operations: With comprehensive assessment of water footprint of their operations, manufacturers are adopting circular economy principles into every stage of water management, minimizing consumption, maximizing reuse, and recovering value from wastewater to create closed-loop, resource-efficient systems.
- Investing in Real-Time Measurement and Performance Metrics: Industry leaders are prioritizing smart metering systems and live dashboards, while identifying targeted key performance indicators (KPI) to accurately measure water footprints, benchmark progress, and drive operational accountability.
- Engaging Employees and Collaborating Across Ecosystems: Companies are fostering a culture of water stewardship by actively enriching employees through education and training, while collaborating with industry partners and communities to scale impact and innovation.
- Advancing Toward Water Positivity Through Continuous Improvement: Sustainability leaders are embracing water positivity by conducting regular audits, optimizing processes, implementing zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems, and scaling rainwater harvesting to restore more water than they consume.
What best practices are you adopting to align water management and manufacturing with circular economy goals?
“To accurately measure your company’s water footprint, invest in a smart metering system that provides real-time data, because what gets measured, gets improved.”
Vivekananda Bhat
Growth Expert and Associate Director
Frost & Sullivan
“In water-scarce regions like India, where groundwater depletes daily, embracing water circularity is crucial for mitigating potential water risk for company’s operations.”
Mahesh Kumar Sharma
HSE Lead, Electrification Business – Smart Power Division
ABB India Ltd.
“Only 5% of water is potable, and many regions face severe water stress. Every drop saved can impact lives globally, or even within our own communities. Corporates must look beyond their company premises to explore possible avenues for water conservation and replenishment programs like restoration & rejuvenation of polluted waterbodies and lakes.”
Subrat Mitra
Assistant Vice President – Sustainability
Genpact India Pvt Ltd.
By integrating circular economy principles, leveraging smart water management, and fostering cross-industry collaboration, manufacturers can drive both operational efficiency and environmental responsibility. These strategies are crucial for aligning business practices with the evolving sustainability landscape, ensuring long-term growth while safeguarding our planet’s resources.
Connect with our growth experts to explore best practices and discover how we can help optimize your water management and manufacturing sustainability efforts.
Also, watch our previous Manufacturing Transformation Growth Webinar here for more industry insights and strategies.
